Impending Turbo Doom? ('87 5kcstq)

[MSV96@aol.com]

As the subject line implies, I fear that my turbo is maybe not healthy. Here's
the deal...for the past couple days when not quite fully warmed up there is a
strange noise when on boost. (No, I don't flog my car cold...but there are
times that after things are most of the way warmed up that one must get out
into traffic.) The car is running a 1.8 bar wg spring and qlcc eprom. No
perceptable loss in performance or (dash displayed) boost pressure at all.

This noise is very diffuclt to describe but does come from that general area
and is not changeable with engine RPM, but gets louder with more boost
pressure. I have had an EM leak "tick tick" noice for some time now that goes
away as the cars gets to temperature. My hope is maybe that has gotten a bit
worse and the turbo is okay.

Anyway...in reading Doug Q's posts on his turbo's demise I am wary. Last night
I pulled off the hose to the IC to look for any metal filings and feel for any
play. Everything looked very clean and there were no metal filings at all.
There is a very slight bit of radial play detectable but no end play. Note
that the noise does go away completely after the car has driven long enough to
fully warm up (about 5-6 miles from dead cold around town). Suffice to say I
keep an egg under my right foot during warm up even more than usual now and
try very hard not to go into boost until the engine is all the way warm.

My questions are:

1. Is it possible that the noise is coming from the turbocharger itself even
though it goes away when all is warmed up? (Seems to me that if something were
rubbing inside from wear that it would remain that way all the time and that
is presently not the case.)

2. If I am very careful during warm up from here on out, how long do I have
before I am forced to deal with the inevitable? (I have a short road trip
planned at the end of the month...is there added risk for catastrophic failure
now? Yes, my AAA+ is in place.)

3. Please send me all your BTDT's on turbo and EM R&R. Anyone have a list of
parts required (gasktes, hardware, etc.) for this job to help make Linda's
life easier when I order them? Any leads on a deal on a good used turbo and/or
turbo rebuilders? Aproximate time required to R&R? Is it easier to access the
EM once the turbo is removed so I can deal with it as well? Is the way to go
on the EM a new o.e. two-peice?

TIA and here's to hoping I don't need to use the advice sought in item #3 too
soon!

Mike Veglia
87 5kcstq